The Spy, the Rebel, the Daredevil, the Fighter, the Lightbulb, the Muscle, the Fixer, the
Rock, the Brain, and one
ship shared by all. The tale continues...

Chapter One

Fleet Admiral Garrond stared out the viewport of the shuttle pod he occupied.
An extremely nervous ensign piloted the craft. For the most part Garrond left
the woman alone, only redirecting her when there were particular sights he
wanted to see. And what he wanted to see was the culmination of three years of
dedicated work by the Iotian Starfleet's engineers.

The Iotians had moved past the ship analogues with the UFP Starfleet's
mid-23rd century. What they'd achieved in design and function between the Earth
years 2271-2310 the Iotians had managed to recreate here in orbit of their
largest moon.

Despite himself, Garrond still thought of these ships in terms of their UFP
Starfleet's analogues. The Iotians had refitted all twelve of their Constitution-class
heavy cruisers, all twenty-four of their Miranda-class heavy cruisers,
and all twelve of their Asia-class light cruisers. Many ships were
remaining at original design specifications.

These included the Eclipse-class light cruisers, the Mercury-class
frigates, the Detroit-class light cruisers, and the Kremlin-class
surveyors. Instead, the shipyards had yielded several new ship classes
reflecting the new design philosophy. Among them were six Excelsior-class
heavy cruisers, six Constellation-class cruisers, six Bolivar-class
light cruisers, six Sparta-class heavy cruisers, and six Benjamin
Franklin-class cruisers. And all of them were needed.

A Kremlin-class surveyor, the ISS Bootlegger, had reached a
star cluster beyond the Romulan Star Empire's recognized borders. It was in
nonaligned space unclaimed by neither the Khitomer Accords powers nor the Typhon
Pact. Magna Roma lay between the Iotian Federation and the Dragon Cluster.

But the Nova Romans had withdrawn from any voyages beyond their own
established territory. Slave revolts, clone rebellions, and successive defeats
at the hands of aliens. But the Dragon Cluster had its own awkward history.
Settled by humans who had deserted during a battle in the Earth-Romulan War,
they'd moved past what would later be established as the Romulan Neutral Zone
and discovered the worlds within the Dragon Cluster.

They'd easily overwhelmed the pre-warp civilizations native to the region.
Establishing themselves as the Dragon Lords, a racially segregated ruling class,
the humans had brought the various natives up to 22nd Century standards
according to Earth's technological reckoning. They'd done so through introducing
advanced designs into the populaces' manufacturing base.

The original squadron had been led by the NX-class NX-07 Fearless
and accompanied by the six Intrepid-class starships, the USS
Courageous, the USS Kitty Hawk, the USS Tirpitz, the USS
Kirov, the USS Typhoon, and the USS Akula. The human crews had
utilized orbital bombardments when displays of "magical" might failed
to persuade.

Humanity conquered all five inhabited worlds. One occupied world dared to
revolt and the humans withdrew to unleash a biogenic weapon that eradicated all
sentient life on the planet. It was subsequently set aside for resource
extraction and the various slaves brought there were shown the scattered remains
littering the surface of the world.

Eventually some of the starships began deploying beyond the Dragon Cluster.
What the Dragon Lords discovered was that they were next to an interstellar
trade route. Finding they had nothing to bargain with, the Dragon Lords further
devolved into commerce raiders.

The Orions learned of the Dragon Lords and sent a delegation. Bartering for
technology, the Dragon Lords learned that Earth had won the war against the
Romulans. Fearing the consequences of their actions should they return, they
dedicated themselves to their struggling empire.

Orion convoys arrived every three months so the Dragon Lords had to stretch
far and wide to the limits of their capabilities to acquire merchandise the
Orions would want. And life continued in this fashion for two hundred and twenty
years before the USS Voyager and the Delta Fleet happened upon them while
on the way to the Delta Quadrant.

The Delta Fleet utilized conventional warp drive to reach the edge of the
Beta Quadrant. From there they would rely on their quantum slipstream drives to
get them across the Delta Quadrant in their search to discover whether any Borg
remained or if they had all been integrated into the Caelier Gestalt. They
logged the presence of the Dragon Lords so that the Luna-class explorers
led by Captain Will Riker and the USS Titan could approach the Dragon
Lords.

Still, Admiral Kathryn Janeway had Captain Chakotay place the fleet's voyage
on hold for three days while the Starfleet crews learned more about the
descendents of Earth's forgotten Starfleet officers. A little digging revealed
that the starships and crews of the Dragon Lords' ancestors were listed as
'lost' and presumed dead. Janeway and Chakotay both knew there was more to the
story that the Dragon Lords were spinning for them but that was a matter for
another crew.

Janeway left the Dragon Lords with a padd filled with Earth history and the
history of the United Federation of Planets that had formed after the
Earth-Romulan War. This information sent the Dragon Lords into a tailspin. After
seeing Voyager and her companions they knew that the Federation was far
more advanced than they were. Desperate, they sent out a subspace radio message
towards Orion.

The Bootlegger intercepted that message and traced it back to the
Dragon Cluster. But unlike the Delta Fleet, the Dragon Lords saw the Iotians as
dupes to be swindled. So they arranged for a trade delegation to come from the
Iotian Federation.

Little did they realize that the Iotians felt the same way about the Dragon
Lords. Fleet Admiral Garrond contacted the Iotians allies and a plan was swiftly
devised. Instead of sending a trade delegation, the Iotians would send an
invasion fleet.

The Iotian fleet would be led by Commodore Vinton. Vinton was a career
officer and had been one of the original Constitution-class captains. Now
he commanded an Excelsior-class heavy cruiser.

Vinton had participated as part of the Iotians' task force against Magna Roma
at Tom Riker's behest. Now he had every advanced starship at his disposal while
the older units would remain in within Iotian Federation borders and secure
them. The crews of these starships were even better trained in interstellar
combat strategies and tactics than his last fleet venture had ever been.
Altogether, seventy-two Iotian ships were committed to this attack. The Dragon
Lords would be so overwhelmed that their best option was to simply lie down
without firing a shot.

While the Iotians deployed under Vinton's command, the UFP Starfleet Prudence-class
starship USS Prudence was sailing into the Dragon Cluster. Owing to the
fact every Luna-class explorer was busy in some region of the Beta
Quadrant and couldn't be pulled away, the Prudence had been pulled off
patrolling the Neutral Zone and dispatched to the Dragon Cluster.

What the crew found was what Janeway had described. The humans inside the
four populated Cluster worlds were worshipped as gods and they ruled with an
iron fist. The indigenous natives were a servant class and were looked down upon
by their "masters".

The Prudence crew quickly learned the truth about the Dragon Lords'
origins. Packing up to leave, they found themselves surrounded by six museum
piece Intrepid-class starships from yesteryear. While they could have
easily blasted their way free, the UFP Starfleet captain and crew refrained.

The standoff between the Prudence and the Dragon Lords was on its
twelfth hour when the USS Fearless had joined her Intrepid-class
siblings. It was during this conflagration that the Iotians arrived in force.
Vinton offered one chance of surrender and the commander of the Fearless
rejected it. While the Dragon Lord ships engaged an impossibly large enemy, the Prudence
withdrew further into the stellar cluster.

The battle was as short and decisive as could be expected. All of the Dragon
Lord ships were gutted ruins within ten minutes time. Vinton ordered a pursuit
of the Prudence.

Vinton contacted the remaining Dragon Lords on the occupied worlds. The
Iotians would provide "protection" in exchange for tribute otherwise
they would be handed over to their allies who would mercilessly exploit them.
The Dragon Lords succinctly said, "Go to hell."

Vinton washed his hands of them and prepared to summon his people's
benefactors. But with three quarters of his fleet looking for the fleeing Prudence
he knew he needed to even the playing field since the UFP ship was even more
advanced than his mightiest ships. So, the bargaining chip was that the UFP
Starfleet crew would surrender to the Iotian Starfleet crew or the Iotians would
begin orbital bombardments of the inhabited worlds.

Captain Suvok made the call and the Prudence surrendered. The Iotians
subsequently placed a prize crew aboard her and flew her back towards the Iotian
Federation. But Vinton dispatched the bulk of his fleet to deliver the UFP crew
to the Romulan Star Empire. He knew his patrons in the Typhon Pact would be
pleased with this gesture.

The Breen waited inside of the Iotian Federation to take hold of the Prudence.
Vinton took command of a placeholder squadron of ships. One of each of his
service ship classes was represented. The rest sailed through Romulan space
before traversing the Neutral Zone near Deep Space Four and heading home. Vinton
knew their contract with the Romulans had been fulfilled. In exchange for the
cluster and the UFP Starfleet crew the Iotians would receive hard currency and
technology transfers. It was all in a day's work.

The Obsidian sailed through the void en route to Altair. The ship's
Executive Officer joined her Commanding Officer in his Ready Room. The first
thing Brin Macen noted was Shannon Forger's rueful expression.

Macen smirked at the thought of the ship's Deputy Chief of Security
eliminating their current thorn, "I take it he wants to complain about his
current lodgings."

"He still seems indignant about being tossed into the brig," Forger
confirmed that guess, "He says it's beneath his dignity as Governor of Vega
Colony."

"Well, the Governor should have thought about his future
accommodations before he conspired to sell his planet's defense systems to the
Orions," Macen retorted.

"Were the Orions really going to buy the planetary defense grid and sell
it to the Typhon Pact?" Forger was still incredulous.

"According to the SID team that gathered the intel, the Orion Syndicate
had already taken a good faith payment," Macen wore a gleeful smirk;
"I'd like to know how they're going to try and dodge issuing a
refund."

"Like that's going to happen," Forger snorted, "The only thing
stingier than a room full of Romulans is a room full of Romulans and
Gorn, Tholians, Breen, and Tzenkethi."

"With any luck the Typhon Pact will lash out at the Orions and cripple
their operations for the next decade or so," Macen wished.

"But how could they get passed the subspace fluctuation detection nets
we've set up around each of those nations?" Forger asked, "Even with
cloaking devices they still give off subspace ripples."

"The Typhon Pact has been using proxies to engage enemies within
Federation borders or next to them or even allied space," Macen shared with
her.

"So they're resorting to using mercenaries," Forger mused.

"Among others," Macen corrected her, "Starfleet Intelligence
has pegged the Typhon Pact as using various legal agencies as well as sovereign
stellar states. The deal between Kloomps and the Orions was brokered by Solarian
Security Systems."

"Ugh," Forger grunted, "Them again."

"That's just the beginning," Macen warned, "The Nova Romans
and the Iotians Federation have evicted all of the Federation's diplomatic
presence in their territories. That leaves them wide open to co-opting by the
Typhon Pact."

"But they'd say 'no', right?" Forger hoped.

"The Nova Romans lost a lot of face when their clone soldiers revolted
and they had to rely on Cardassian assistance to neutralize the threat. And then
they had to rely upon us to combat the Cardassians," Macen explained,
"Both groups view the Federation's reluctance to share more advanced
technology with them as an act of betrayal and aggression. They deem it that
Starfleet is keeping them weakened in comparison so that we can eventually
conquer them both."

Forger opened her mouth to speak but Macen's comm badge chirped and he tapped
it on his belt, "Macen here."

"We are receiving a priority message for you from Admiral Forger," Talera
P'ris informed him. P'ris was a former Commander in the Tal Shiar who had
prevented a war between the Gorn and the Federation. Her reward was an imperial
death mark and permanent exile from her people who were still recovering from
the Hobus disaster that destroyed Romulus and Remus. Ambassador Spock was still
missing as well after launching a relief mission to prevent the subspace
shockwave from destroying the twin worlds.

"I'll go relieve P'ris from the center seat while you say 'hello' to my
sister for me," Forger exited the room.

"No, and you're not Starfleet. Which is why you're being sent to help
gather information to diffuse the crisis," Forger finally got to the
point.

"I know I'm going to regret this, but what crisis?" Macen inquired.

"Starfleet dispatched the USS Prudence to the Dragon
Cluster," Forger explained, "All we've received from her is an
emergency distress call claiming the Dragon Lords were hostile and then a
garbled transmission that stated the Iotians had arrived."

"So the Iotians are holding the Prudence and her crew?"
Macen ventured.

"No, the Romulans are;" Forger stated.

"I'm getting a headache," Macen complained, "You are aware
that Romulan space is off limits once again?"

"Yes, I am. But this began in the Dragon Cluster and I need you to piece
together how the Romulans came to be in possession of one of our crews,"
Forger ordered.

"Give me the spatial coordinates and I'll see what I can learn,"
Macen agreed.

"I suppose you see now why Starfleet Command can't dispatch a Starfleet
vessel to the region?" Forger asked.

"I knew there was a reason why I kept you on retainer," Forger
jested.

"Just keep that in mind when you begin authorizing expenses and the
contract rates," Macen urged.

"I will," Forger promised.

"You also realize that P'ris has a death warrant hanging over her head?
If we get boarded by the Romulans, they will take her and her death will be very
ugly," Macen pointed out.

"It shouldn't be an issue," Forger stiffly assured him.

"Why do I think you're lying?" Macen wondered.

Forger sighed, "The Romulans agreed to return the Prudence
crew in exchange for one concession."

Macen's gut clenched, "They want P'ris."

"Jellico deferred acquiescing because he's opposed to surrendering to an
armed threat and because Bacco granted P'ris' request for asylum,"
Forger shared, "But before you place any great faith in that, Bacco is
now debating the merits of handing her over in order to close this deal
relatively painlessly."

"Thinking like that brought us the infamous Demilitarized Zone,"
Macen reminded Forger, "Look how that turned out for everyone."

Forger sighed again, "If Bacco decides to surrender P'ris, you're
going to be a pain in the ass, aren't you?"

"I made a promise to protect her," Macen said sternly, "That
includes from Starfleet if it has to."

"Brin, if Bacco chooses this path, it will be a presidential
order. All of Starfleet will be poised against you and we'll pressure our allies
into denying you sanctuary," Forger said wearily.

"You do what you have to and so will I," Macen warned.

"Brin, don't..." Forger's words were cut off midsentence when
Macen cut the connection.

The USS Hood rendezvoused with the Obsidian forty light years
away from Deep Space Three. The Hood was a Galaxy-class carrier
variant. Instead of stocking a full range of shuttles, one docking bay was
filled with Peregrine-class fighters. A fact that their CAG, Lt.
Commander Verity Jones, was quite proud of.

The Hood had served beside the Obsidian crew and her Special
Investigations Division team on several occasions. The Starfleet vessel wasn't
considered a ship of the line. Instead she served as a multirole troubleshooter
for Starfleet Intelligence. A fact which Macen was commiserating with Limerick
over the subspace radio.

"My transporter chief reports that Kloomps is aboard and my Chief of
Security has informed me the governor is on his way to our brig. Wailing and
bemoaning the fact every inch of the way," Limerick chuckled.

"You should be taking my assignment, Merry. You'd at least be able to
ward off trouble," Macen stated.

"I have no doubts that you shall be able to do the same,"
Limerick assured him, "Now, enjoy the best of luck. We'll be getting
underway."

"Try not to kill Kloomps on the way to Reyes' station," Macen
grinned, "He hates the associated paperwork."

Merry Limerick smiled as he terminated the connection. Captain Alfonso Reyes
was a mutual friend. And Reyes was also the paramour of one of Macen's closest
friends, Captain Ro Laren, the commanding officer of Deep Space Nine.

Over the course of his conversation with Limerick, Macen had learned a few
things about the developing situation. Admiral Alynna Nechayev, Macen's oldest
serving friend in Starfleet, had ordered the Defiant-class USS Monitor
and USS Merrimack to the Romulan border to facilitate an attempt to cross
the Neutral Zone and snatch back the Prudence's crew. Rumor had it
Nechayev had also allocated the USS Defiant under Ro's command to
accomplish the task while the Monitor and Merrimack distracted the
Romulan Navy. Unfortunately, President Bacco had overruled the plan.

Limerick's understanding, direct from Nechayev, was that Jellico had put the
SID plan into motion. Macen found this extremely odd. Jellico had railed against
him personally and the SID as a whole for over a decade. Yet in the last few
months, there had been a total reversal of his prejudice. Now the SID, and
Macen's team in particular, were his first option.

Macen supposed a galaxy without the Borg was strange enough to tweak
Jellico's sensibilities. Macen just didn't know if he could adapt to the
situation as smoothly as Jellico seemed to be doing. It was just frighteningly
odd.

Chapter Two

The Obsidian headed coreward to skirt the Romulan Neutral Zone.
Passing through DS3's patrol zone centered between the Romulans, the Iridian
Enforcers, the Iotian Federation, and the Nova Roman Empire just to name a few,
the area was nonaligned yet was rapidly choosing sides. At the furthest point
corewards that the Federation had established a presence, Deep Space Four
monitored the Neutral Zone's activity as it curved further into the Beta
Quadrant into uncharted space.

The Romulan Star Empire had a defined limit as it stretched further into the
Beta Quadrant but civilian scouts had reported military movements into new
territories. As best as could be determined, the Star Empire now formed a shape
similar to that of the symbol for infinity. No one could determine why the
irregular shape had been adopted but the Dragon Cluster set just outside of the
Neutral Zone's thinnest edges, which also squarely placed outside of DS4's
patrol zone.

Starfleet's Outpost network had constructed a tachyon net around the Romulan
Neutral Zone. But all that was known was that it worked against the older
generation cloaking devices such as the Romulans had shared with the rest of the
Typhon Pact. Newer Romulan vessels such as the Valdore-class Warbirds
were said to not only boast a next generation cloak but a transphasic cloaking
device as well.

If so, these devices could prove to be an effective countermeasure to
Starfleet's quantum slipstream drive. But unlike Starfleet inability to equip
every hull with a slipstream drive, the Romulans were regarded as holding out on
their own allies simply because they wished to maintain an advantage over them.
It seemed trust was a rare commodity amongst the Typhon Pact nations.

Both DS3 and DS4 had marked the progress of a large number of Iotian ship
headed deeper into the Beta Quadrant. Both had also noted the return of most of
the ships but several still seemed to be missing in action. No one had an
inkling as to whether those vessels had been destroyed or if they were on
station somewhere.

Making way past DS4, the Obsidian entered the territory of a group
called the Zephyrites. They were a fiercely independent people. They also
exacted a toll to traverse their region. The Hood had transferred raw
materials rare in Zephyrite space into the Obsidian's holds. They had
enough to afford to cross the area twice.

Following Delta Fleet's path, the surveyor soon neared the stellar cluster
claimed by the Dragon Lords. In all, the voyage to this point as consisted of
three days since learning of their assignment. Now as they approached the Dragon
Cluster, a Constellation-class cruiser exited it. Identified as the ISS
Rumrunner the ship moved to interpose itself between the Obsidian and
the Dragon Cluster's interior.

Obviously distressed by the sight of a UFP starship, the Rumrunner had
called for backup. The Benjamin Franklin-class Chicago and the Sparta-class
Tommy Gun moved in to support the Rumrunner. Macen was not amused.

"They're responding," Miller said in a tone that implied she'd
rather be locking weapons on target.

A rather stern man appeared on screen, "I am Captain Solex, why are
you trespassing into our territory?"

"As of a week ago, this territory belonged to a group of humans called
the Dragon Lords," Macen informed him, "My employers want to
reestablish contact with them."

"When you say 'my employers' you are asserting that you are not UFP
Starfleet?" Solex inquired sharply.

"No, I only work for them on occasion," Macen replied.

"Go home and report to the UFP Starfleet that this area is being held by
the Iotian Starfleet until it can be turned over to its new masters,"
Solex insisted.

"I'd like to..." Macen began.

"Comply or you will be engaged," Solex demanded.

A score of other Iotian ships all exited the cluster and Macen knew there was
no way he could win, "Very well, we'll be going. Give my regards to
Proconsul Sela."

The Obsidian backtracked the way it had come. Macen briefed the crew
that their job had just gotten harder. The Iotians were working for the Romulans
the way the crew worked for Starfleet. It was altogether too likely they would
be contracted to find out how the Romulans managed to hire the Iotians and how
much influence the Star Empire and the Typhon Pact as a whole had on Sigma Iotia
II. And however the Iotians went the rest of the Iotians Federation followed.

"Wyn, set course for DS3;" Macen ordered.

Wyn complied as Macen exited the bridge. Ensconced in his Ready Room he
contacted Captain Reyes. After arrangements had been made, Macen contacted a few
other friends and acquaintances before he went looking for Celeste Rockford.
Macen's wife had Harri Mudd on retainer and Mudd was their best bet for
penetrating the Iotian Federation. Perhaps all the way to Sigma Iotia II itself.

Macen laid out his plan to Rockford and her fellow detective, Ziva Delain.
The Cardassian woman nodded to Rockford, "It's a good idea."

"But you want us to travel inside of Harri's ship," Rockford
repeated, "She's awfully twitchy about who boards her. Would we be taking
the whole team?"

"Just you two, Daggit, and P'ris;" Macen informed her.

"That might be doable," Rockford considered it, "We may have
to lose Rab though."

Macen thought it over. Rab Daggit was an Angosian Augment, which meant he was
a veritable one man army. But Rockford was also an Augment from the same planet.
She was a rarified Infiltrator but she had all of the same training and skills
that Daggit had. And Rockford had even beaten Daggit to a standstill despite
being a foot shorter.

"If that's what it takes," Macen promised Rockford.

Reyes personally met Macen's team at the airlock. As soon as the Obsidian's
captain and his group disembarked, Shannon Forger uncoupled from the station and
took the Obsidian out on an investigative chore. She would sweep through
the areas between DS3's patrol zone, Iotian Federation space, and Roman Imperial
space.

"I have to say, Brin, your group is even more out of uniform than
usual;" Reyes commented.

"Because if we're compromised she's the best equipped to facilitate a
rescue," Macen informed him.

"She's also on the other side of the Federation," Reyes argued.

Macen gave him an amused glace, "And we both now she was here aboard
this station just yesterday despite what the official story may be."

Reyes sighed, "I knew that story wouldn't hold."

Macen pulled a padd out of his jacket, "I want you told hold this for
Shannon when she gets back. It contains her next set of orders. I also want you
sworn to secrecy not to read them. It's probably better for you if you
don't."

"Understood," Reyes accepted the padd.

Quark's was yet another of Quark's successful franchised copies of his
original bar aboard DS9. Of course, the very original had been destroyed along
with the Cardassian built station. But the replacement on the newly built
Federation built station was an exact replica if even larger. Quark was even
selling franchise rights to planet bound proprietors now.

"Quark probably has made enough latinum now to not only buy his cousin's
moon but the planet it orbits," Rockford opined.

Macen checked in with the bartender and learn Mudd had reserved a privacy
booth. The "booth" turned out to be a small conference room. Mudd was
waiting inside and enjoying a meal.

She saw Rockford and smiled. And then everyone filed inside and Mudd's smile
turned rueful, "Did we bring everyone?"

Ten minutes later, Macen summed it up; "So basically we're trying to
find out the Iotians' connection to the Typhon Pact and which members are
involved."

"Including the Andorians?" Mudd wondered.

"Yes," Rockford broke her silence.

"All right, we're going to need something to get the Iotians' attention.
Something they want and can't get from any other source," Mudd insisted.

"Any ideas?" Macen already dreaded the answer.

"Quantum torpedoes," Mudd stated, "The Iotians are crazy for
them and no one will give them any. The Ferengi were negotiating a sale of them
when the Khitomer Accords nations were ejected out of Iotian space. Grand Negus
Rom cancelled all the contracts."

"Let me get this straight," Macen requested, "You want to hand
over advanced weaponry to a potentially hostile power?"

Mudd simply shrugged, "It'll get you what you want. Just cough up half a
dozen or so and you'll be in the Iotian Starfleet's good graces."

"I don't have any," Macen informed Mudd, "My ship isn't
equipped to even fire them so we don't have any on hand."

"But this station is loaded with them," Mudd argued, "And
you're chummy with its CO and even chummier with his intended. Get one of them
to release some torpedoes to you. All for a good cause, of course."

Mudd decided to relent a bit, "You don't carry quantums because your
launchers can't handle them. Neither can the Iotians and they'll have to
engineer some based upon what they can reverse engineer out of the torpedoes.
Given that they're still almost a century out of date with basic photon
torpedoes, it'll take them time to tear the new weapons apart and finagle a way
to devise a delivery system. Call it twenty years or so and I'd be very
impressed."

"It took them a century to go from the industrial age past the
information age and straight into the space age," Macen reminded Mudd.

"I want the profits I can get from selling the quantum torpedoes,"
Mudd insisted.

"You wouldn't even have them if I can't convince Reyes to hand some
over," Macen rebutted her.

"I wasn't finished," Mudd huffed, "I also require one hundred
bars of gold pressed latinum as my flat salary fee for delivering you and
returning you to Federation space. Any necessary repairs necessitated by this
little incursion will be paid for by you above and beyond my base price."

"Am I going deaf or did you just ask for one hundred bars of
latinum?" Macen had to inquire.

"I'm your one way in and desperation is expensive," Mudd countered,
"So pay up or get another ride."

"Oh really?" Macen called her bluff.

Only she wasn't bluffing. Mudd rose from her seat, "See ya."

"Sit down," Macen insisted, "I'll meet your price."

"I should charge another twenty-five bars just for testing me,"
Mudd grated.

"You really can go out the door at that price," Macen informed her,
"You don't hold a monopoly here. My other option is just...messier."

"You really think you can get the torps out of Reyes?" Mudd wore a
Cheshire grin.

"You already know I can," Macen retorted.

"You want me to do what?" Reyes roared as he came out of his seat.

Macen angled himself so that if the Starfleet officer came around his desk,
Macen could throw him face first into the bulkhead and pin him there, "You
heard me."

"I am not giving you torpedoes so that Harri Mudd can sell them to a
potential adversary," Reyes leaned on his knuckles as he leaned over his
desk, well aware of what Macen intended to do to him.

"They don't have to actually be functioning torpedoes," Macen
suggested, "They just have to function enough to make the Iotians believe
they're getting viable weapons."

"The Iotians will figure it out," Reyes warned.

"And by the time they do, we'll be out of their territory," Macen
stated, "And it's not like Mudd needs to go back there anyway. She'll
obviously be blacklisted from entering their territory."

"It'd almost be worth it," Reyes mused. Mudd came from a long line
of criminal entrepreneurs. Her great-grandfather was the infamous Harcourt
"Harry" Fenton Mudd that James T. Kirk had encountered on several
occasions. His son had enjoyed a far less stellar career. Harry Mudd III had
redeemed the family honor and Mudd III had groomed Harry Mudd IV to take over
the family legacy. Unfortunately for Mudd IV his ambition outstripped his
ability.

Meanwhile his sister, Harriet Fedora Mudd, was a literal criminal mastermind.
It was well known to Starfleet and the Federation's law enforcement organs that
Mudd had pulled off some of the Federation's biggest heists and scams. She'd
literally stolen dozens of fortunes. She had garnered enough to retire several
times over on a privately held planet.

The problem was that Mudd was addicted to enhancing her own reputation so she
delved further and farther into criminal enterprises. When Reyes had learned
from Rockford that Mudd was now a stringer in her employ he'd nearly fallen out
of his seat. Reyes didn't know why Mudd was cooperating with the SID but he
strongly suspected it was in order to gain immunity from prosecution should the
unthinkable happen and she was caught in the act.

"Look, I'll go through Starfleet Command if I have to;" Macen
warned.

Reyes snorted derisively, "You mean you badger Nechayev and Forger into
giving you what you want from them. Which is them forcing me to give you what
you want and you putting in Mudd's holds."

"Do you really want to go there?" Macen wondered, "It'll waste
a lot of time we may not have."

"You might have to," Reyes angrily countered, "Why is this so
damn important to you?"

"The Romulans agreed to trade the Prudence's crew for P'ris.
Bacco is mulling it over right now and she could make a decision at any
second," Macen revealed, "I promised that woman I'd protect her after
what she did for the Federation and I'll be damned if I'm going to hand her over
to face a horrible, certain death."

"So why does this make the Iotians so important?" Reyes asked.

"Bob Johnson is leading the negotiating team," Macen reminded
Reyes, "He needs hard facts to counter the Romulans' accusations and derive
a different solution."

"It's going to take more than finger wagging at the Iotians to pull that
off," Reyes warned Macen, "Sela has it in for P'ris and since she's
become Proconsul she's turned into an even bigger vindictive bitch."

"But the Typhon Pact is increasingly reaching out for proxies to do
their bidding outside of their borders. We've caught the Orion Syndicate doing
so and we've also found agencies like the Solarian Security Systems are
complicit as well. Overtures to the Iotians, the Magna Romans, and the Ekosians
have been made and those are just the ones we can confirm," Macen recited,
"And even members of the Federation aren't immune because the Andorian
Empire seceded from the Federation they helped found and are now loyal members
of the Typhon Pact. The Breen and Tzenkethi are engaging in all manner of
foreign adventurism while the Gorn and Tholians are overcoming their xenophobic
tendencies enough to engage in outreaches. And atop all of this, the Iridian
Enforcers are ready to pounce any anyone that isn't them. So in the midst of all
this, where do we go?"

"That's why we're pushing so hard into the uncharted regions of the
Alpha and Beta Quadrants and why we sent Voyager back to the Delta
Quadrant," Reyes asserted.

"Exploration should be about more than just looking for fresh allies to
fill the coffers," Macen said bleakly, "And while Bob is here, he
can't fulfill his mission to the Dominion."

"Starfleet is offering the Dominion some kind of treaty?" Reyes
wondered.

"Bob's been authorized by Bacco, Jellico, and the Council of Five to
offer the Dominion a nonaggression treaty. As part of it, the Federation would
secure the Bajoran Wormhole against the Typhon Pact," Macen explained.

"Seeing as how the Breen and Romulans used the Federation's free transit
rights to go through the wormhole and try and steal Dominion weapons technology,
I guess that's a fair offer," Reyes admitted, "It took Ro by surprise
when the wormhole released two Typhon Pact ships being chased by a squadron of
Jem'Hadar fighters. It came as a greater surprise when it became obvious that
the Tzenkethi and the Gorn were in the system under cloak."

"Ro released the Defiant and the station's three runabouts in
support of the Jem'Hadar," Macen reminded Reyes, "When Gul Ocett
arrived with three more Galor-class cruisers, the Typhon Pact ships
auto-destructed rather than be taken prisoner and handed over to the
Jem'Hadar."

"But if we protect the Dominion from its foes, what do we get in
return?" Reyes wondered.

"The Federation and her allies get access to Dominion space as well as a
clause covering catastrophe," Macen could see Reyes was hungry to know how
catastrophe was defined, "If we're ever overwhelmed by superior forces the
Dominion will send fleets to support us."

"That would have come in handy during the Borg and Argyn
invasions," Reyes admitted, "But can we trust the Dominion to leave
once they're here? I mean, the Cardassians are one thing but the Dominion
too?"

"The Klingons are former foes as well yet now they're our most trusted
ally," Macen stated, "Sometimes your enemy knows you so well that he
becomes your best friend in a time of need."

Reyes nodded, "That's a little too philosophical for me but I'll concede
you have a point. You can have four neutered torpedoes and Mudd will just
have to call that good."

"I'll stress to her she doesn't have a choice," Macen agreed.

Chapter Three

Reyes' crew delivered the torpedoes just as promised. Mudd was less than
happy about the scarcity of the quantity but she still gleefully directed their
loading into her main cargo hold. Shooing Starfleet out of her ship, she sealed
the outer airlock and then sealed her own hatch.

Proceeding to the bridge, she comfortably sat down at the helm. Her ship was
a Bajoran variant Antares-class freighter christened the Freehold.
Registered out of Xepolite, Mudd had made modifications to her ship that weren't
strictly legal in the Federation.

Gaining clearance from Ops to depart, Mudd released all moorings and
umbilicals. She used her RCS thrusters to clear the station's inner traffic
zone. Engaging her impulse engines, she traversed the system DS3 occupied.
Clearing the outer markers, she cut in her warp drive and proceeded at Warp 5
from that point on.

Mudd swiveled around to see how the ship's other stations were being
occupied. To her right, Daggit manned communications. To her left, Macen
operated the sensors. Mudd found it utterly delightful to be surrounded by men.
Too bad they were both married.

Rockford, Delain, and P'ris occupied the crash couches near the auxiliary
stations in the rear of the tight bridge module. Mudd felt the same way about
Rockford that she felt about her husband. She idly wondered if the couple would
ever seriously consider a tryst including her. Then again, Delain and P'ris were
both attractive. And P'ris definitely swung both ways.

"You have phaser guidance and well as a photon control panel,"
Daggit observed, "Just how armed is this ship?"

Mudd wanted nothing more than to aim a phaser blast at Daggit's head, "I
have four Cardassian phaser banks, two fore and aft. I also have one forward
photon torpedo launcher with a three round magazine."

"How strong is your shielding?" Macen wondered how committed Mudd
was to getting into a fight.

"Military grade," Mudd boasted, "And I have an augmented
deflector array so I can fire tachyon bursts and force beams as well."

"I've only been inspected once and they just had me lock everything
down," Mudd shrugged, "It's easy enough to unlock once I'm out of
sensor range. And you'll note I have advanced generation sensors as well."

"How can you power all of this?" Macen asked, "Even the most
updated Antares-class can't boast this much power generation."

"Well, most freighters can't claim to have a starship's warp core;"
Mudd smirked, "I have a Starfleet Andor-class transport's warp core
in my drive section and its nacelles integrated into my hull."

"So you have a max speed of Warp 6.8," Macen realized.

Mudd nodded, "I forgot. You were in Starfleet when those ships were
new."

"I also noticed you had a closet listed as the 'armory'. Mind if I check
it out?" Daggit wondered.

"Send Rockford this way and I'll agree," Mudd offered in return.

Daggit moved off and Rockford took his place. Suddenly from the outer
corridor they heard Daggit yelp, "Ye gods!"

P'ris reentered the bridge, "Captain Mudd, I am uncertain as to your
intentions of arming these Iotians. If they truly are pawns of my people, the
granting them greater tools of force will only expand the Star Empire's
reach."

"She has a point," Rockford regretfully admitted.

"I don't see the problem," Daggit said as he returned with Delain,
"They're going to get there eventually anyway. If they get there a little
earlier it'll just give us greater cause to squash them like a bug."

"He has a point," Delain opined.

"Commander?" P'ris asked Macen. She'd reverted to his Starfleet
rank in order to preserve the fact that a ship could only have one
captain.

"The Prime Directive forbids what we're about to do," Macen
reminded them all, "But our agency and our missions frequently violate the
Prime Directive. Taking Rab's position into view, he has a strong argument. It's
more than likely we're going to uncover information that will blacklist the
Iotian Federation in Starfleet's eyes. So in the end we'll probably only be
advancing the timetable."

"I must confess I am surprised," P'ris confessed.

"Rab, can you relieve Celeste?" Macen requested, "Ziva, you
can take my station."

"But I..." Delain protested.

"The controls are simple," Macen reassured her, "And the
equipment is Cardassian. So you'll do fine."

The trio stepped off of the bridge and headed further into the ship. There
Macen shared with P'ris how her fate was being decided and a decision would be
reached any moment now. Thus inspiring the rush to get facts which could be
parlayed into achieving the release of the Prudence crew without
surrendering P'ris.

For her part, P'ris visibly paled; "Thank you for confiding in me. I
shall prepare myself for the worst."

"Talera, even if Bacco decides to surrender you, I won't;" Macen
promised her.

"I take it Starfleet would be willing to enforce this decision?"
P'ris ventured.

"I was a fugitive when I was a Maquis," Macen reminded her, "I
was undercover but I was so deeply undercover that Nechayev would have
sacrificed me to the Federation penal system rather than admit that I was
operating under her orders."

"Very well, I am forced to trust your judgment;" P'ris allowed.

"Hopefully that won't seem so onerous when the time comes," Macen
hoped, "Now if you can excuse us?"

"Reyes neutered the quantum torpedoes," Macen informed her,
"They'll hold up to initial scans but once they're dismantled or field
tested, the Iotians will know they've been duped."

Rockford groaned, "Which means they'll put a warrant out for Harri. I
may lose her as an asset."

"This is on me," Macen informed his wife, "I intentionally
didn't tell you until now. You have to choose whether or not to share with
Mudd."

"What makes you think she won't just head back to DS3?" Rockford
wondered.

"Because I think Mudd enjoys a challenge. She'll proceed just because
she can run a con," Macen shared.

"That and if Harri sees a way to profit from our mutual relationship
she'll stand by us," Rockford ventured.

"Or so you hope," Macen deduced.

"You've run your share of stringers and assets," Rockford reminded
him, "Hope is the name of the game along with cautionary measures that make
betrayal painful. So, basically its hope and the conviction to kill them if they
stray."

"Let's settle on arresting them until otherwise notified," Macen
suggested.

"Killed is easier," Rockford tersely insisted.

Macen could see Annika Ryst and the other personalities that had been
hardened killers in Rockford's psyche now. It had taken some time to filter
through her persona but as her personalities grew even more integrated it made
for some interesting discoveries. Such as the merciless way that Rockford had
killed his former wife T'Kir.

Annika Ryst had been an Angosian Augment Infiltrator. She slipped into
Tarsisian camps of soldiers by creating new personalities and becoming a
Tarsisian soldier. Later, as a mercenary, Ryst had devised alternate identities
as covers for her primary activities. This was how Celeste Rockford had been
born.

In the end, when the Argyn integrated Ryst's fractured psyche, she'd chosen
to invest everything and everyone she was into Rockford. Simply because Rockford
was the only personality with any hope to cling to. It bespoke of the power of
that simple emotion.

"So, are we getting back to keeping an eye on Harri or do we have other
business to attend to?" Rockford asked with a mischievous twinkle in her
eye.

Macen drew her in and they spend several minutes kissing. Macen finally
backed away and gave his wife a ruefully glance and she began to complain,
"That's it? I got more when we were just living together."

"We weren't as crunched for time," Macen said wryly.

"C'mon, we have time for a quickie in the cargo hold;" Rockford
teased, "I've never made love atop a torpedo casing before."

"And now isn't probably the time to start," Macen retorted.

"Oh, okay;" Rockford mock grumped, "We who are about to die
and all that rot."

"That's the spirit," Macen grinned, "And later, aboard the Obsidian,
we can mount a torpedo or two."

Rockford called him a few choice names in Angosian and Klingon as they
reentered the bridge. Daggit chuckled over the Angosian selection. P'ris
obviously understood the Klingon portion of the program. She wisely decided not
to divulge what it was that had been said.

The Freehold was intercepted at the Iotian Federation border by the ISS
Jimmyjack. The Miranda-class starship immediately locked phasers on
Mudd's ship before hailing her. Mudd weighed her options before Macen reported
his sensor readings.

"An Asia-class analogue just appeared at the edge of our sensor
range," he told Mudd, "It may only be a light cruiser but it by itself
can punch a hole through your shields to cripple your ship. The Jimmyjack
is potent enough to worse."

"Okay, I got it;" Mudd protested as she received the transmission
from Daggit's board.

A woman Mudd's age appeared on her screen. Mudd could see that her own
appearance had caught the Iotian by surprise. Mudd's nearly waist length,
platinum blonde hair was stark white it was so bleached out. It garnered Mudd
attention wherever she went and it also distracted people so that they never saw
what she was really up to.

Mudd could see the hungry look in the Iotian's eyes. She had her eye on rapid
advancement. Well, Mudd could help with that.

"I am Captain Mynx of the ISS Jimmyjack. Who are you and what is
your business in Iotian Federation space?" the other woman inquired.

"I'm Captain Harri Mudd. You can read my transponder plain enough to
know my ship's name and registration," she answered, "I'm here to get
you into an admiral's office."

"How?" Mynx sneered.

"I have four UFP Starfleet quantum torpedoes in my hold," Mudd
explained, "Your superiors have been panting over them since the Ferengi
reneged on their deal with your Starfleet."

"No," Mudd said shortly, "Once you're aboard you'll never
leave. What's going to happen here is you're going to escort me back to Sigma
Iotia II and you'll present me to the Fleet Admiral. I'll throw in all kinds of
effusive praise your way and I'll sell him my torpedoes."

Mynx seemed a little stymied so Mudd interjected, "Your little buddy
there can handle your patrol while you're gone. You seriously are going to have
to think faster on your feet if you want an admiral's stripe on your
sleeve."

"You think like a Ferengi and not a very trustworthy one at that," Mynx
decided, "But I will escort you to Fleet Admiral Garrond."

Mudd grinned, "I knew you'd see reason eventually."

"I'm surprised they didn't just open fire on us," Daggit remarked.

"If they thought they could do so without damaging our torpedoes they
would have," Mudd revealed, "Their phaser controls aren't as accurate
as to what you're used to. Isn't that right, El-Aurian Boy?"

Mudd rolled her eyes, "I know Garrond. Everyone else is just a peon.
Besides, why buy what you can steal?"

"Now we know why you're a crook," Daggit muttered.

"Too true," Mudd boasted, "Everyone does what they're best at.
In your case your home planet saw something in you they could harness and
enhance to turn you into a walking killing machine."

Daggit bristled but Macen stepped in, "That's enough."

"Aw, the big guy can't take it?" Mudd mocked Daggit.

"Actually, I was worried about your safety," Macen confessed.

Mudd's board chimed, "They've given us course and speed instructions.
They also tried to load a pesky computer virus. But my core's scrubbers cleaned
it out."

"You sound like you expected it," Daggit realized.

Mudd shrugged, "Remember my philosophy? They've tried it before. I have
to say though; their programmers have learned a few things since last time. And
these people are even more criminally minded than me. And that says a lot."

"Some of us have been here before as well," Daggit said harshly.

It had been on Sigma Iotia II that Daggit's Orion wife had been shot in the
heart. Her heart had stopped beating long enough for brain damage to occur. But
that had resulted because Daggit delayed treatment in order to fulfill his
mission. He'd never forgiven himself for that.

As it was, the Obsidian's EMH, Tessa, had resequenced Parva's genetic
code. Her nervous system and cranial capacity had been restored. In fact, Parva
not only no longer required braces to walk she'd also grown more efficient
cognitively. She remembered more and remembered it faster. Her learning curve
was off the books. But the procedure was illegal and had to be hidden from
Federation authorities.

"Who has been here before?" Delain suddenly asked.

She looked at Rockford and the Angosian detective shook her head. P'ris also
deferred. Daggit chose to answer, "I have and so has Parva. The only other
member of the current team to do so is the Captain."

"Commander," Mudd corrected with a quip, "And that's it?
C'mon, you people have a major rep for being bad asses."

"Everyone else transferred off of the team or has died," Macen said
with some remorse.

"Died?" Mudd didn't like the sound of that option, "You people
better not be getting me into trouble again. I almost didn't survive that last
ruckus. If this goes down like that you're walking home."

"Would we do that to you again?" Rockford teased.

"Without a second thought," Mudd realized.

"Just so everyone is clear, you'd prefer to do it to us first and that's
you're only objection," Rockford countered.

"Of course," Mudd said cheerfully, "I'm just a simple
businesswoman trying to get by in a hostile galaxy."

"Try the Mirror Universe out and see how 'hostile' this one isn't,"
Macen quipped.

"What was that?" Mudd had heard rumors of an alternate dimension
that people kept crossing over to and vice versa. She'd never given it much
thought.

"Nothing. Wouldn't want to give you any ideas," Macen smirked.

Chapter Four

Macen noted the increased commercial and military traffic within the Iotian
Federation. Most of their Starfleet was still comprised of ship analogues to
Federation ships pre-dating 2270. But the numbers of Iotian analogues contiguous
between 2371-2308 seemed to be high according to reports generated by DS4. It
seemed to indicate that ships operating beyond the border were relatively more
advanced than those defending the member systems.

Of course, the Iotian Federation operated similarly to the Terran Empire from
the aforementioned Mirror Universe. The Iotians overwhelmed other planets and
then offered them the "protection" of joining their federation. Many
were pre-warp cultures and most of the rest were barely industrial.

Iotia itself had undergone democratic reforms but the thing that had happened
was an Okmyx had been voted Boss for life. No changes in conduct or operations
had occurred within the Iotian Starfleet. But the member worlds had all agreed
to stay within the Iotian Federation's umbrella, whether due to fear or because
of benefits to their societies remained debatable by outsiders.

The Freehold was led to a space station in orbit over Sigma Iotia II.
Superficially the station resembled a massive ball with an equator formed by
gantry arms and each arm ended in a round disc. The discs were surrounded by
docking ports. Owing to the Iotians' copying the UFP Starfleet wholesale the
docking ports were fairly universal.

Macen recognized the design. It was one that predated Starfleet's Spacedock.
The Federation's version now orbited Mars and provided a living habitat for
sprawling Utopia Planetia Yards. It was easy to observe dozens of commercial
craft originating across the Alpha and Beta Quadrants were docked at various
discs.

Iotia's version of Starfleet Security met the "crew" at the
airlock. Mudd was marched off to meet with Fleet Admiral Garrond while everyone
else was shown to the part of the station known as the Commons. One part
Promenade and one part Concourse, the center of the station served a practical
purpose by distracting its inhabitants and guests from the fact that although
they weren't aboard their ships they still weren't on a planet.

The first place the group stopped at was an information kiosk. The fact that
menu options were offered in the native tongues of thee Typhon Pact member
nations bode ill. P'ris utilized that fact to call up data on recent history and
download it onto the padds each team member carried.

Moving into a watering hole, they ordered drinks and sat down at a long
table. Perusing their newly acquired information, they began to learn how the
Iotian Federation had fallen under the Typhon Pact's sway.

The Obsidian had reached its destination. The corridor stretching
between the space claimed by the Iotians Federation and Magna Roma lay before
them. As the ship arrived, she stretched out with enhanced sensors.

Wyn Mesa was at the CONN, having relieved Aglaia, and was looking forward to
a few high speed maneuvers. But so far the day looked like it would be dull.
Zimbalist suddenly relieved her of that notion.

"We have a massive tachyon surge developing all around us," he
announced, "Several vessels are decloaking."

"Jaycee, go to red alert and raise shields;" Forger ordered.

"Commander, the vessels include a D'deridex-class Warbird, A
Breen battlecruiser, two Tholian Webspinners, a Gorn cruiser, a Tzenkethi
battleship, and Andorian cruiser obviously descended from the Kumari-class;"
Miller reported, "Should I charge phasers?"

Forger gave her a disbelieving look, "Do you really want to provoke this
crowd?"

"The Andorians are hailing us," Miller hid her disappointment well.

The Andorian captain appeared on the main viewer, "I am Commander
Terynshah ch'Raimi. You may refer to me as Teryn. State your business
here."

Forger was rather gratified to see that irked the Andorian chan. The
Andorian replied tersely, "This is Typhon Pact protectorate space. I
suggest you leave before your violation of our space is ...misinterpreted."

"There's no one within ten thousand light years of this location,"
Forger pointed out, "Who exactly are you protecting?"

"Magna Roma is under our protection as is the Iotian Federation. It
would be advisable for you to avoid these territories," Teryn advised.

"But we're well outside either state's borders," Forger protested.

Teryn nodded to an unseen subordinate and the Andorian cruiser fired on the Obsidian.
Forger was incensed, "Are you nuts? Do you know what the repercussions for
firing on a Federation ship, even a civilian one, are?"

Teryn wore a chilling smile, "As you pointed out this was neutral
space. You had no claim over it to begin with and you certainly do not now. Our
diplomats can clearly prove that this territory was ceded to us by the
Federation. So I advise you leave while you still can."

"Um, Commander?" Miller gulped, "They've locked onto us."

"Who has?" Forger asked irritably.

"Everyone," Miller was loath to report.

"Wyn, get us out of here along the same course we came in on,"
Forger hated to order.

"They'd better give us some room or an accident might
happen," Wyn grated.

Forger reopened the channel with Teryn, "You've made your point. We'll
withdraw but I will be reporting this incident to my government."

Teryn laughed, "Please do. We do so love to hear Federation diplomats
prattle on. After all, it's what they do best."

The screen reverted to an image of Typhon Pact ships parting ways to enable
the Obsidian to withdraw. As soon as Wyn had cleared the warships, she
engaged the warp drive and headed back to DS3 at Warp 6. Zimbalist was the first
to speak.

"What if they've figured out the Captain is already in their
territory?" he wondered.

"Then P'ris is probably having a helluva day," Forger commented,
"Edwin, try and contact Deep Space Three as soon as we clear their jamming.
We need to warn Reyes of the Typhon Pact's little territorial grab."

"What about the Captain?" Miller asked.

"I'm sure he already has found out about it, one way or the other;"
Forger said direly.

In the Commons aboard the Iotian Starfleet Starbase One, the SID Team was
surprised when Typhon Pact personnel began filtering into the bar they occupied.
Of course, the Gorn and Tholians were presumably occupying other facilities with
them specifically in mind. The sight of Breen congregating about was also
incongruous since they wouldn't remove their helmets to imbibe or eat. They
simply seemed to be there for the company.

The Romulans and the Andorians mingled amongst themselves and seemed to
regard the Iotians with a certain amount of mistrust. Of course, the Romulans
mingled an air of superiority into their paranoia. A new wave of Iotians also
flooded the premises as many of the former occupants departed. It all indicated
a change of watch had occurred.

P'ris seemed equanimous about it all but both Macen and Rockford could see
the tightness around her eyes and mouth. There was a sense of terror in her
eyes. But she was hiding it well.

"Are you going to be okay?" Macen whispered to her.

P'ris nodded stiffly, "As long as they do not challenge my ID papers
provided by Angelique Kerber I should remain incognito."

Kerber was one of Macen's latest recruits for the SID team. Kerber was a
cybernetics and programming specialist but she wasn't field personnel. She was
more than content to remain behind and coordinate operations from her station
back aboard the Obsidian.

Tony Burrows was also a recent recruit. Burrows was field personnel but Macen
had thought that it would be suspicious if Mudd had too many strong hands
aboard. Burrows was a former Starfleet Special Operations Command operative. So
his skills nearly matched Daggit's. Burrow was also fully qualified as a field
medic.

Macen had discovered that Burrows was a kendo master. So he had a new
practice partner with a sword. Burrows had already proven to be a resourceful
opponent. Burrows had demonstrated to Macen that his own skills had atrophied
recently without having a practice partner.

Two Romulan officers approached. The senior officer, a centurion, spoke for
the pair; "You! freighter wench! Why do you sit here with humans and
Cardassians?"

"They are not human. One is El-Aurian and the other an Angosian,"
P'ris calmly replied.

"They are still Federation scum," The Centurion sneered.

"If they were truly accepted within the Federation's borders, would they
still be here?" P'ris asked.

"As I said, scum;" the Centurion mocked her words, "And what
kind of scum are you? Only exiles and undesirables spend their days and lives
with aliens."

"And what kind of exemplary service have you provided the Star Empire to
be posted in a backwater world to suffer my very fate?" P'ris retorted
without thinking.

The Centurion's eyes narrowed, "Come with me. I think a little trip to
the station's security office will reveal who you truly are."

As the Centurion moved forward to take hold of P'ris' arm, he heard a voice
from behind him; "I wouldn't do that."

The Romulans both turned to find themselves facing down Mudd. The Centurion
flicked his wrist and his subordinate began to encroach on Mudd. She simply drew
a Type I "cricket" phaser from her sleeve holster and stunned the
Romulan trooper.

The Centurion let loose with an inarticulate cry. Macen, Rockford, and Daggit
were already on their feet aiming Bajoran Militia issue side arms at the
Centurion. The Centurion was stymied and he knew it.

"How did you get weapons aboard this station?" the Centurion
demanded to know.

"Fleet Admiral Garrond and I are old trading partners," Mudd
informed him, "I cleared our carrying weapons with him before we ever
arrived. And we get to carry throughout the duration of our stay."

"You'd best keep those very weapons by your side at all times," the
Centurion warned, "Because the Imperial Fleet will not rest until you are
slain."

"Yeah?" Mudd mocked him, "You and what army?"

"You really haven't figured out the realities on this station, have
you?" the Centurion sneered, "The Typhon Pact rules here."

"Really? I thought this was an Iotian station," Mudd quipped.

"The Iotians serve our interests just as our other protectorates
do," the Centurion kept running at the mouth, "They will be lining up
beside us to have a piece of you."

"I'm crying already," Mudd scoffed.

"You will be, I promise;" the Centurion vowed.

"Sure, sure, it bored me the first time too;" Mudd stunned him as
well. She stepped over her fallen foes, "Hurry up. I've got you fifteen
minutes with Garrond."

"Why did he agree to meet with us?" Macen wondered.

"Because I made it one of the terms of my agreement with him," Mudd
shared, "But he shaved off fifty bars of latinum in return. I expect to be
compensated."

"You will be," Rockford promised before Macen could reply. Macen
knew Rockford would pay Mudd out of her detective agency's coffers and then bill
Outbound Ventures for it. Outbound Ventures, in turn, would bill Starfleet. So
in essence Amanda Forger's division would ultimately foot the costs.

The Obsidian had docked at Deep Space Three an hour before Reyes could
manage to get Forger in his office. Listening to her report, he let out a
disconsolate sigh, "This only confirms what the Endeavor already
discovered. We just thought the circumstances were contrived and Starfleet
Command didn't lend the events credence."

"Well, they sure as hell better from now on," Forger snorted.

"The Endeavor, the Forager, and the Rutledge are
our support vessels. In addition, we have four Saber-class ships assigned
to border patrol," Reyes shared to Forger's curiosity, "They'd all
detected what could have been cloaked ships moving across the Neutral Zone and
back again. Then again, the Iotians have been traversing the Neutral Zone with
impunity."

"And no one took your suspicions seriously?" Forger was baffled.

"Let me put it to you as plainly as I can," Reyes decided,
"The only Starfleet permanently positioned asset further out than us is
Deep Space Four at the end of the Neutral Zone and along the delineator with the
Delta Quadrant. They've been seeing a massive movement into the Beta Quadrant's
reaches by the Romulans and the Iotians. They seem to be coordinating their
efforts."

"Then why doesn't..." Forger began.

Reyes held up a hand to ward off her inevitable protest, "We've received
orders to observe the movements but not to react to them. These orders derive
from the highest echelons of the chain of command."

Reyes stood and moved over to a panel in his wall. After a retina scan
cleared him, it opened up, revealing a wall safe. A second retina scan and a
thumbprint accessed the safe. Reyes pulled out a single padd.

Reyes handed the padd to Forger, "Macen gave this to me before he left.
I haven't read it. Besides I think it only opens up to your biometrics. I also
think Macen saw this coming and has an idea of how you can help him. But I'll
warn you; under no circumstances will you tell me what's on that padd or where
you're going next."

"So I'll file a bogus flight plan when we depart," Forger stated.

Reyes looked pained, "I did not just hear that."

Forger quickly unlocked the padd and read its contents. Looking up she
grinned, "Sometimes I love the Captain."

"Laren usually does too," Reyes shared, "Come to think about
it, so does your sister on occasion."

"When she's not plotting his demise," Forger smirked, "Thank
you, Captain. I think my crew and I will need immediate clearance to
depart."

"You'll have it," Reyes promised.

Inside of Garrond's briefing room, the fleet admiral sat everyone down after
dismissing his adjunct; "Harri tells me you've accepted a contract from the
United Federation of Planets to do a fact finding mission concerning our own
federation. All you have to do is report to your President Bacco that everything
has gone according to her agreement with the Typhon Pact."

"Which agreement?" Macen managed to say will Daggit and Delain were
stunned into silence. Rockford was listening intently while P'ris seemed
dismayed.

"When we asked the UFP President to withdraw her diplomatic presence,
she quickly complied. Afterwards she signed an agreement to effectively avoid
our territory from now on," Garrond shared.

"And she knew you were being courted by the Typhon Pact at the
time?" Macen inquired.

"It was a comprehensive agreement covering over a dozen nation
states," Garrond bragged, "It was quite a get together."

"Bacco wouldn't have happened to write this agreement with Empress
Donatra of the Star Empire and Imperator Shhr'hsss of the Gorn Hegemony about
six months ago?" Macen asked.

"Exactly!" Garrond enthused.

"That was Section 31's tipping point," Macen said for his team's
benefit.

"I'm beginning to see their point," Rockford remarked. Rockford,
Delain, and Mudd had risked their lives to liberate Bacco from Section 31's
clutches while the covert agency engineered a coup.

"I've used the service routes before," Mudd shared, "We can
get to the docking port unseen."

Garrond crossed the room and opened an access door recessed into the
bulkhead, "I'm sure you'll find your own way, Harri."

Mudd guided the SID team through the service tunnels lining the station as a
Jeffries tubes lined Federation starships. When they exited the tunnels, they
approached the docking port the Freehold was tied to. Four Romulans stood
vigil.

Despite their dock hand coveralls, the Romulans had a distinct military
bearing. Romulans as a society had an inflated sense of self worth but these
gentlemen took it to a new level. Mudd pulled out a small scanner.

"Garrond deactivated security's energy sensors in this area so we're
weapons free without tripping any alarms," Mudd said happily.

"Then let's stun them and get aboard as fast as possible," Macen
urged.

"On three then?" Mudd smirked.

After a three count, all four Romulans were down. The SID team boarded the
freighter and waited for Mudd to complete her personal little ritual. She sealed
all of the hatches and the airlocks before returning to the bridge.

"Why do you ask?" Mudd inquired as she detached the Freehold
from the station and used RCS thrusters to clear the station's periphery.
Afterwards she proceeded at full impulse.

"I would advise raising shields," P'ris advised Mudd, "My
people are likely to be lying in wait throughout the Iotian Federation's
borders."

"Great," Mudd grumped.

"You're avoiding the question, Harri;" Rockford pressed the point.

"Look, I figured Reyes gummed up those torps so when I cut the deal I
pushed the idea of selling two dozen more to Garrond on my next visit into the
Iotian Federation. Considering that they're likely to extend a 'shoot on sight'
order after they figure out they were duped I leveraged myself to the breaking
point," Mudd shared, "Was I wrong about the torpedoes."

Rockford smiled, "No, you were right."

"And thanks for telling me beforehand," Mudd said scornfully.

"Would you have told me?" Rockford countered.

Mudd thought about it and then laughed, "Hell, no."

"There you have it," Rockford said gracefully.

Chapter Five

"What's your ship doing out here?" Mudd drolly asked Macen.

"Waiting to receive us," Macen replied, "Then we'll be off of
your ship and you can scoot on to DS3 and collect those fund transfers I
authorized."

"In other words you expect trouble and you're getting me out of the
way," Mudd conjectured, "Why else would you have your ship waiting at
a backwater border? You're expecting trouble with Starfleet or you would have
gone with me to DS3."

"Something like that," Macen confirmed.

"Okay Rockford, I have to admit. Spending time with you is never
boring," Mudd said jovially.

Macen stepped into the Obsidian's bridge, "Shannon, I need you in
my Ready Room. You too, P'ris."

In private, Macen shared with them; "As soon as the Freehold is
out of sensor range, we're going to be met by another ship. P'ris, you'll be
going aboard it."

"Why?" this prospect alarmed her.

"If Shannon is here then Bacco decided to trade you off. I'm not going
to let that happen. But I'm also an obvious target so Starfleet is going to
throw everything in the region at me," Macen shared, "I'll keep them
busy while you travel to the Cardassian Union. Castellan Rekena Garan owed me a
favor. She's paying it off by granting you sanctuary."

"Cardassia?" P'ris said with some revulsion.

"Think of it this way, you won't be cold all the time anymore;"
Macen tried to encourage her.

"But you promised that you would protect me," P'ris said a
tad desperately.

"I can't. Not anymore," Macen said, "But I have a friend that
will personally oversee your safety. She's been in charge of Katreen Dervin's
safety for over a decade now so she's amply skilled and equipped to shelter you
as well."

"And his name would be?" P'ris inquired.

"Her name is Lyoti Mariska. She's a dal in the Cardassian Guard
so she has the authority to go with her expertise. She'll care for you as though
you were own sibling," Macen assured P'ris.

"Do I even have a choice in this matter?" P'ris wondered.

"Not really," Macen gently informed her, "It's this or be
captured by Starfleet and handed over to Sela."

"What about the uncharted regions?" P'ris wanted to know,
"Could I not seek shelter there?"

"You'd always be on the run," Macen replied, "I've lived that
way. I wouldn't recommend it."

"Captain, the Defiant just decloaked off of our port bow,"
Zimbalist reported.

The trio exited the Ready Room. Macen had a discreet word with Miller and she
frowned, "I've never heard of anyone using that bandwidth for
communications."

"It's a Maquis trick," Macen told her.

"Will the Defiant be looking for this message?" Miller
wondered.

Macen grinned, "Her captain taught me this trick. Just hail her."

"How long have they been waiting for us?" Zimbalist wanted to know.

"They were probably here before you were," Macen assured him.

"But Deep Space Nine is on the other side of the Federation,"
Forger pointed out.

"Ro was pulled out here to lead a rescue mission should the negotiations
stalled. With Bacco finding an alternative to negotiating, Ro was freed
up;" Macen explained, "Jaycee, do you have her?"

"Yup," Miller perkily confirmed it.

"I'll take it in my Ready Room," Macen instructed.

"You're late," Ro said a mite testily.

"The timing was an estimate and you know it," Macen replied.

"Well, while you've been gallivanting about I have an entire station and
the admiralty wondering where I am," Ro informed him, "I'm
running a story of a 'classified mission' for the crew but I had to invoke a
communications blackout in order to avoid the crew finding out about the arrest
and detain order concerning P'ris."

After P'ris had dissolved in a halo of energy, Rockford turned to Macen;
"I never thought she'd be the type to tear up."

"She'd thought she'd already lost everything but she just found out
there's always something more that can be torn from you," Macen said from
intimate experience.

Zimbalist commed Macen, "Sir, the Defiant has cloaked and is
presumably underway. And Admiral Akaar sounds mad enough to order a torpedo
strike on us."

"Tell him I'll be with him in ten more minutes," Macen ordered.

Zimbalist sighed, "Yessir."

"Ten?" Rockford was surprised, "It'll take you five tops to
get to the bridge."

"Akaar's been waiting all this time, I'm sure he can stand another ten
minutes;" Macen chuckled.

"Brin?" Rockford was uncertain, "Akaar is Cappellan. They take
this sort of thing personally."

"Good," Macen asserted.

"Just don't get us all killed," Rockford pleaded.

"Trust me, I promise we'll be fine. We just need to be the fox for the
hounds long enough for Ro and P'ris to get away," Macen tried to encourage
her.

"Promises, promises. That's all I ever get;" Rockford complained.

"You'd better get Ziva ready. It's going to get bumpy and there may even
be a boarding action or two," Macen warned.

"Is it any wonder why I hate starships?" Rockford groaned.

"Can't be helped," Macen shrugged.

This time Forger called, "Captain? He's getting pissed off."

Macen grinned.

Akaar's stern visage appeared on Macen's screen in the El-Aurian's Ready
Room. The centenarian was visibly angry, ""Just what the hell are
you playing at, Captain? I've been waiting for almost thirty minutes."

"I'd say it's a good thing there's a complete network of subspace buoys
between us then because otherwise you'd be waiting for weeks," Macen
quipped.

"Cute," Akaar growled, "Forger, Nechayev, and Johnson
warned me about you. I don't care what they allow, don't play cute with
me."

Starfleet Commander-in-Chief, Fleet Admiral Edward Jellico finished speaking
with Leonard James Akaar and scowled. Knowing what he had to do next, he
genuinely despised this moment. While he vehemently opposed Bacco's decision,
Macen was being a pigheaded jackass by defying a legitimate presidential order.
Of course, Bacco's actions leading up to this moment may have been highly
questionable.

Contacting the President's office directly, Jellico spoke with Bacco and
explained the situation. Bacco scowled, "How disappointing. I thought Macen
was smarter than this. It's one life versus over four hundred."

"Macen doesn't play that kind of mental calculus. It's cultural baggage
from being an El-Aurian," Jellico explained, "It's only been
accentuated by their loss of population after the Borg assimilation of their
race and the disappearance of hundreds of them into the Nexus."

"I understand you have a contingency in place for this event,"
Bacco said.

"Yes, we've kept Captains Ro and Reyes out of the loop owing to their
strong ties to Macen," Jellico stated.

"Should they be relieved from duty?" Bacco wondered.

"No," Jellico grated, "They are loyal officers. They might
just be a little liberal in interpreting orders in this case."

"I want them both removed from their respective posts and confined to
quarters. Impose a communications blackout on both of them. I don't want them
talking to Macen," Bacco ordered.

"That isn't necessary," Jellico insisted.

"Do I have to ask for your resignation, Admiral?" Bacco asked
archly.

"No, Madam President," Jellico struggled to contain his fury.

"Then do as I've instructed," Bacco ordered before severing the
connection.

Jellico decided not to tell Bacco that Ro wasn't even aboard Deep Space Nine
at that moment and that no one truly knew where she even was.

Akaar was in oversight command of the task force delegated to bring Macen in.
He had the Nebula-class USS Endeavor rerouted from DS3's command
to lead the search. Also, two Akira-class cruisers, the Sentinel
and the Specter, were also designated to play a part in it. Two Prudence-class
starships, the Pegasus and the Friendship, were pulled off of
patrol to join the task force, and finally two Intrepid-class vessels,
the Bellerophon and the Saladin joined as well.

The ships all converged on the Federation's border with the Iotians. The idea
was to box Macen in within the sector. Akaar watched the plot adjust in nearly
real time. Nechayev and Amanda Forger had warned Jellico how Macen would react
which is how this grouping had been thrown together so fast.

Nechayev and Forger couldn't blame Macen his feelings. Bob Johnson didn't
either despite being at the forefront of the negotiations with Sela. But Jellico
had decided to side with Akaar and Edward Noyce on this. Macen would be hunted
down like a criminal and P'ris would be forcibly removed from his custody.
Afterwards, the official charges would flow like water.

Starfleet converged on the area Macen was suspected to be at. The Endeavor
arrived first. The starship's sensors swept the area for a Nova-class
surveyor. Intelligence had the ship fully loaded with a Starfleet issue trim.
Which meant the Obsidian was armed. It also meant she couldn't exceed
Warp 8.

Captain Talia Alvarez of the Endeavor was the senior officer so she
assumed control of the task force as it arrived. She deployed the ships in a
wide search pattern looking for residual signs of the Obsidian. The ever
expanding net wasn't yielding any signs of their quarry.

Sensor sweeps were being clouded by a massive subspace distortion. It seems a
matter-antimatter annihilation occurred here. It was likely Macen had intermixed
an antideuterium pod with a deuterium pod through an unregulated fusing. It had
the effect of sweeping away warp signatures. It was a Maquis trick and Alvarez
suddenly realized she needed to know more about Brin Macen and his crew.

Starfleet Intelligence provided a vetted version of Macen's personnel file
and the file on his SID activities. Alvarez could plainly see the file omitted
far more than it shared. She smelled covert operations all over this mess. And
that meant her hunt was going to be far more difficult than she was led to
believe.

Alvarez was disturbed on many levels be this operation. If Macen were a
privateer employed by the secretive Special Investigations Division than he
could possibly be a security risk. And this behavior was first indicated while
he served undercover with the Maquis where he so effectively meshed with Ro
Laren's cell that arrest warrants were issued in his name.

Yet despite these facts, Ro was now a respected Starfleet captain and Macen
was a revered figure amongst the Intelligence community. So what was the truth?
Was Macen an actual threat or was his only crime protecting a friend from an
order he didn't like? Either way, what he was doing would still construed as
being illegal so Alvarez's duty to track him down was inarguable.

At the edge of the distortion field, the Pegasus detected a warp
signature headed back to DS3. Alvarez discounted that one. At another edge, the Bellerophon
detected not one but two subspace wakes. Both with the same warp signature.

Alvarez quickly contacted the Klingon Defense Force and put them on alert as
to a possible attempt by the Obsidian to cross the border. She issued a
capture and detain request. She then ordered Captain Selima Hussein of the Saladin
along with the Friendship and the Pegasus to pursue the Klingon
route.

The other warp trail ventured off towards the Federation's border with the
Klingons but the vector would keep it on the Federation side of the divide. The Bellerophon
set out after this clue. The Endeavor, the Sentinel, and the Specter's
best speeds would be hampered by the distortion field but they would catch up as
soon as they were able. As it was, the task force had lost six hours sniffing
around for a trail to follow.

Captain Martin Harriman of the Bellerophon knew that a Nova-class
ship's best speed was far below his. At Warp 9, the Bellerophon would
overtake the Obsidian without putting too much stress upon her engines.
Harriman sat back and mentally gloated at being the one to capture the renegade
ship.

One hour later...

Harriman was mentally cursing at this point. They'd reached an interstellar
trade crossroads and the Obsidian's trail had disappeared. It hadn't just
been muddled by the intersecting warp signatures, it had utterly vanished.

Harriman began sensor sweeps of the area while waiting for Alvarez and her
group to arrive to assist. It soon dawned on Harriman that the Obsidian's
engineers had effectively altered the ship's warp signature on the fly. That was
a task that was difficult enough in a port facility. Of Starfleet's engineering
staff, only B'Ellana Torres had pulled off the feat with a starship. Which mean
someone aboard the surveyor was a certifiable genius.

Chapter Six

"Any signs of pursuit?" Macen inquired.

"Still none," Zimbalist said with great relief, "Parva's magic
seems to be throwing them off. Where did s learn how to do that?"

"Chakotay once told me B'Elanna Torres could manage it so I simply
challenged Parva to do the same," Macen chuckled, "She couldn't resist
the challenge."

Macen looked towards Miller, "Jaycee, has security been posted to all
decks?"

"Jelena has dispersed security throughout the ship in four man teams on
each deck. Daggit is bolstering security inside of Engineering and Detectives
Rockford and Delain have secured Sickbay," Miller stated, "Assuming
that Starfleet will board us."

"If they stop us they will," Macen promised her, "I had Tessa
rig a tricorder to emulate Romulans biosigns and Galen 3 has devised a lookalike
hologram."

"That'll draw them in," Miller muttered miserably.

"Wyn, how long until we reach the Briar Patch?" Mace asked the
Bajoran pilot.

"Eight hours and four minutes," Wyn answered ruefully.

"Go to maximum warp," Macen ordered, "And be advised, when we
reach the Briar patch you'll have to reduce to one third impulse."

"Why?" Wyn was incredulous.

"Because the local gases will burn out our impulse manifolds
otherwise," Macen explained.

"Why are we running so fast if Starfleet can't track us?" Wyn
complained.

"Because Parva managed to alter our warp signature within range of a
navigation buoy. If the buoy got a recording of that event, and Starfleet
finally figures out to check the buoy records, they'll be after us," Macen
revealed.

"That could be bad," Wyn mastered understatement all at once.

Starfleet Task Force, Element A

Alvarez cursed as a five hour search ended. It had taken a cadet on a middie
cruise to suggest searching the logs of the navigation buoys to acquire the
signature shift the Obsidian had undergone. Alvarez had ripped her
officers a new one and in turn they'd ripped apart their subordinates. Even the
cadet got reamed as the XO chewed her out for not speaking up earlier.

Alvarez recalled Element B of her task force, who'd turned out to be chasing
a probe. They'd rendezvous near the Briar Patch. Alvarez now thought that was
where Macen was headed. Either way, this hunt would end soon.

Three hours and four minutes later...

"Ugly mess," Wyn muttered as another gravitic eddy push clouds of
noxious gases against the Obsidian's hull. Macen had been right, she
decided. This was and remained a navigational nightmare.

Although it's probably great to hide in, Wyn thought with great
amusement.

"It gets better," Macen assured his helmswoman.

"When?" Wyn asked.

"When you near Ba'ku or exit altogether," Macen said.

"Do we have coordinates to aim for or are we just getting hopelessly
lost with a purpose?" Wyn inquired.

"Lost with a purpose," Macen answered.

"Figures," Wyn dismally replied, "For how long?"

"Six days and then we can surrender," Macen informed her.

"Even better," she murmured.

"Are you going to tell the crew that last bit?" Shannon Forger
wondered.

"Yup," Macen said as he keyed the intercom to make a ship wide
announcement.

Day One...

Starfleet Task Force, Element A arrived at the Briar Patch to discover the Obsidian
had already entered in. The Specter, Sentinel, and Bellerophon
were deployed in a triangular formation outside of the Briar Patch. They could
easily maintain communications with each other and Starfleet Command. And, their
sensors could sweep the areas assigned to them and marginally overlap their
brethren's sensor grid.

Meanwhile, the Endeavor ventured into the Briar Patch. Inside of the
Patch, Starfleet had built a small station, designated Starbase 699. Two
starships were assigned to it as well. The Bremen-class frigate USS
Tirana and the Eagle-class heavy cruiser USS Hudson were the
designated explorers of the Briar Patch and the defenders of the Ba'ku. Only the
Son'a had unrestricted access to the planet and its settlers.

The Hudson had already discovered other planets within the Briar Patch
while the Tirana's patrols had roosted out several smuggler camps. The Endeavor
called through the interference the Patch created and informed the two starships
that the Obsidian was within their designated area and was a renegade
fleeing Starfleet's wrath. Both starships were ordered to secure Ba'ku and the
known planets within the Briar Patch in case the Obsidian should seek
refuge on them.

Finding that Macen hadn't charted a course to Ba'ku, Alvarez ordered her CONN
Officer to devise a search pattern and implement it. Alvarez was already wishing
Hussein and her group had rejoined the others so that it could free up Element A
to join in the search within the Briar Patch itself. She already had a
foreboding feeling this would drag on for days.

Day Two...

The Saladin, Friendship, and Pegasus had rejoined the
main task force and relieved the Sentinel, Specter, and Bellerophon
so they could enter the Briar Patch and assist the Endeavor's searches.
They then spent the next three days futilely roaming the Briar Patch. At Day
Four Alvarez exited the Patch to send a clear transmission requesting
reinforcements from Starfleet. On Day Five, Alvarez was still awaiting support
and growing increasingly frustrated.

Day Six...

"We've got another contact," Zimbalist announced.

"Run and hide again?" Wyn asked irritably.

"Not this time," Macen decided, "We've hidden for long
enough."

"Thank the Prophets!" Wyn exclaimed as she straightened in her
seat.

"Approach her dorsal plane and camp us out right over her saucer
section," Macen instructed Wyn, "Match her course and speed."

"I like it already," Wyn blurted as she went to work on her LCARS
controls.

"Isn't this a teensy bit stupid?" Forger had to ask.

"Wyn likes it," Macen replied.

"That only reinforces my point," Forger argued.

"Hey!" Wyn yelped.

"The Endeavor has been running the same search pattern for three
days. Wyn knows it in her sleep," Macen asserted.

"Probably because she has been asleep for the last three days,"
Forger said drolly, "And I'll give you that it's ballsy but it's still
stupid."

Starfleet Command

"Why is the Defiant listed amongst the ships reporting to the
Briar Patch?" Akaar asked the Deputy Chief of Operations as he studied the
main plot.

"Deep Space Nine reported that Captain Ro had laid over at Deep Space
Three for an extended period. Ro herself contacted Captain Alvarez two days ago
and volunteered to assist in the hunt for Macen," Captain Lenore Cassidy
explained, "She said her personal expertise could prove invaluable."

"The problem is, Captain, that Ro was relieved of her command six days
ago," Akaar grated, "She should have been detained by Lt. Commander
Tenmei by now and transferred to custody on Deep Space Nine so Colonel Cenn
could take officially assume full command and lock his captain in her
quarters."

"She would have made it back to Deep Space Nine by now if she continued
on to where she was supposed to be," Cassidy replied.

"Or she should just be arriving if she delayed long enough to rendezvous
with Macen," Akaar realized, "But returning to DS9 or Bajor would only
exacerbate her problem if Macen transferred P'ris over to the Defiant.
Unless..."

Akaar's eyes went wide, "Alert the Border Patrol along Cardassian lines.
Ro's taking the Defiant into the Cardassian Union and she's taking the
fugitive with her."

"I'll inform them at once," Cassidy nodded briskly and headed off
to a comm panel.

Akaar leaned across the railing separating the overseer's deck from the main
plot, "Very clever, Macen. But all you've done is cost Ro her captaincy and
her career."

Akaar alerted Jellico of his suspicions. Jellico bounced it up to Bacco.
Bacco informed Donatra and then tried to reach Garan. Stymied on that front, she
wondered what Donatra's Typhon Pact allies could do about it?

The Briar Patch...

"Sir!" Zimbalist suddenly yelped, "When the Endeavor
cleared into the open space around the undesignated planet, three other
Starfleet ships converged on her."

"I told you this was stupid," Forger muttered.

"Wyn, set course .90 and engage at one third impulse," Macen
ordered.

"Remind me again of why we can't run like hell?" Wyn queried Macen
as she implemented his instructions.

"Because we'll burn out the plasma manifolds if we go faster no matter
what Parva does," Macen reminded her, "And I'll point every finger I
have at you if you burn them out."

"Shields raised," Miller reported, "Should I charge
weapons?"

"No, that will only provoke them;" Macen remarked.

"Like camping on top of a starship wasn't a thumb up their nose?"
Miller wanted to know.

Macen just gave Miller a wry look. Zimbalist reported what they didn't want
to hear, "Every Starfleet vessel is now pursuing us."

"Is it time for the Riker Maneuver?" Forger pointedly asked.

"Set it up," Macen instructed.

Forger had engineering utilize the nacelle's ram scoops to collect the gases
native to the region. On the bridge, Macen asked Miller how their pursuers were
lined up.

"Three ships are directly behind us and the Sentinel is the lone
outrider all at fifty thousand kilometers astern," Miller reported.

"Release the gas and ignite it with phaser fire when we clear ten
thousand kilometers of the discharge," Macen requested.

Miller watched her board and finally announced she was firing. The gases
ignited into a plasma field, effectively blocking three of the Starfleet ships
from a direct pursuit course. But the Sentinel was clear of the discharge
was coming in strong.

"They're locking phasers," Miller warned.

"Evasive," Macen told Wyn.

The Sentinel fired and the ship and plasma plumes ignited around the
energy beam. The Sentinel ran into the plasma field of its own creating
while the Obsidian shrugged off the particle beam attack and plunged
further into the clouds. But the Sentinel refused to break off and fired
three torpedoes in rapid succession.

Two went astray but the third found its target. Now Macen's tactics worked
against him as the detonation ignited the gases around his ship, "Damage
report."

"Shields are already down to fifty-seven percent," Miller said
grimly.

"This is starting to get a little dicey," Macen realized. Starfleet
would destroy them while simply trying to cripple them, "Wyn, it's time to
prove why Ro recommended you for the job."

"Captain, the Border Patrol is setting up a tachyon net directly in our
path," Dalin Zivan Slaine reported to Ro.

"Why are we cloaked anyway?" Prynn Tenmei asked from CONN/OPS.

Ro decided to come clean, "Starfleet wants our passenger. She's defector
that gave the Federation information that enabled us to avoid a war with the
Gorn. In response, the Romulans put a death mark over her head and she had to
seek asylum in the Federation. Her reward for this act is the President's
decision to rescind the asylum and to hand her over to the people that want her
dead."

"The hell with that!" Prynn cried out, "Dad told me about
P'ris. There's no way I'm simply handing her over."

"Why are we headed into Cardassian space?" Slaine asked the obvious
question but it meant more to her since it was home territory.

"Castellan Garan has agreed to shelter P'ris," Ro explained,
"And she's enacted the gesture as policy to be followed for as long as
P'ris lives."

"By the way, we're across the border;" Tenmei slipped in, "I
got us through in a high speed run through the tachyon net."

"Now we see if Starfleet wants her bad enough to violate my people's
space," Slaine commented.

Ro felt the same way, "Keep sensors banging away. I want to know if
those ships make a move to cross the border."

The Warbirds fired on the Defiant's last position. Ro realized what
had been long suspected, "They can see through our cloak. Drop and raise
shields. Charge the weapons systems and get ready to defend ourselves."

"Captain, I did as you requested and I took the liberty of contacting
the Cardassian Guard," Slaine admitted, "A squadron has been looking
for our arrival as per Captain Macen's instructions."

Ro decided right then and there she was going to kiss Macen at their next
meeting, Rockford or no Rockford; "Good work, Slaine."

"Oh hell," Tenmei suddenly said ominously.

Ro looked forward and the viewer revealed why Tenmei's disposition had
changed. Before them Tholian, Gorn, Breen, Tzenkethi, and Andorian warships had
decloaked.

Ro scowled, "I see your point."

Briar Patch...

Wyn had turned the Obsidian around using impulse engines combined with
an insane amount of RCS thruster burns. She flew the ship straight back at the
Starfleet group. Not relenting she allowed them to lock phasers and began to
fire as she passed between two of the starships,

Having locked onto the Obsidian, the Sentinel and the Specter
weren't prepared for Wyn's barrel roll over the Specter and the two Akira-class
ships fired on one another. The Bellerophon's commander, agitated by this
result launched another barrage of torpedoes. All of which detonated near her
brethren starships and buffeting them with a plasma wave.

Wyn made a run at the Endeavor and then broke off at the last second.
The Bellerophon fired more torpedoes and they weren't so merciful.
Alvarez finally overrode all the subspace chatter and got the various starship
captains to cease fire. It was then that they all realized they'd lost track of
the Obsidian once again.

The Obsidian emerged from the Briar Patch's clouds to find two
starships converging on her position. The Friendship and the Pegasus
had also alerted the Saladin and the other ships tasked with finding
Macen.

One of those messages went further afield then the rest and Macen was
dismayed as a Vespa-class starship disengaged its quantum slipstream
drive to intercept the Obsidian. Macen didn't even need to query her ID
transponder to know it was the Aventine.

"They're hailing," Miller said sullenly.

"Put it on the main viewer," Macen requested.

Ezri Dax's features formed on the viewer. She did not look pleased, "Captain
Macen, I believe I told you we needed to stop meeting under dire circumstances
at out last meeting. This isn't the type of change that I had in mind."

"Trust me Captain, it isn't mine either;" Macen shared.

"You'll be happy to know that Captain Ro made it into Cardassian space
but at last report she was being engaged by a Typhon Pact task force similar to
the one that you've run ragged," Dax informed him.

"And I suppose it's just coincidence that the Romulans knew where Ro
might be?" Macen inquired.

"I don't like it either but she's there and I'm here," Dax told
him, "And I'm specifically here to arrest you."

"What about my crew?" Macen wondered.

"They'll be confined to quarters while a prize crew takes the ship back
to Earth," Dax announced, "But you and the SID team will be
placed in the Aventine's brig. Sorry."

"I'll let them know so there won't be any misunderstandings," Macen
replied, "Give us five minutes and we'll be prepared to greet you."

"Peacefully I hope," Dax fervently wished.

Cardassian Border...

"We're surrounded," Slaine said with disgust.

"I might be able to..." Tenmei began to suggest.

"Ease of on that idea," Ro instructed, "Just be ready to punch
us free at a moment's notice."

"You're betting on the Cardassian Guard?" Tenmei wondered.

"I've already won that bet," Ro boasted.

Twelve Galor-class cruisers and six Keldon-class battlecruisers
accompanied them. Slaine swiveled her seat to face Ro, "The squadron is led
by Legate Ocett. She's hailing the Typhon Pact commander. The Romulans are
replying."

"Ocett made Legate? Can you get us in on that conversation?" Ro
wanted to know.

"No, Ocett is using the same encryption the Obsidian Order used to stay
in contact with the Tal Shiar. It has never been released to Starfleet and it is
only accessible Legate ranked commanders of an Order," Slaine explained.

Malyn Ocett's features filled the viewscreen, "Greetings Captain Ro,
I bring you tidings from Castellan Garan."

"Is she prepared to honor the bargain?" Ro had to know.

"Would I be here otherwise? And with Starfleet at our border demanding
we surrender your guest?" Ocett dryly asked.

"I'm curious, how has Mariska arranged for P'ris' safety?" Ro
wanted to know.

"Dal Mariska has placed Commander P'ris within the royal residence. The
Queen's own guard detachment will also protect the Commander," Ocett
explained.

"Fair enough," Ro conceded, "I'll inform her that she's
disembarking and escort her to the transporter room myself."

I look forward to meeting such a remarkable woman. I await the conversations
that we shall have," Ocett purred.

The screen reverted to a view of the Cardassian squadron. Ro rose from her
seat, "Tenmei, you have the bridge."

"I am surprised that you agreed to Captain Macen's plan," P'ris
admitted as they moved through the corridors, "I was under the impression
you did not care for me."

"I don't," Ro confessed, "But if this is the price for getting
you out of Brin's life then I'll pay it."

"But you have sacrificed your Starfleet career," P'ris was aghast.

Ro shrugged, "It wouldn't be the first time."

"I shall never understand Bajorans. I sacrificed all in order to
preserve a greater good and spare the lives of trillions. What of you?"
P'ris needed to know.

"I just have a different perspective on the greater good," Ro
shared, "I'm willing to put my life on the line for a single individual I
care about. That isn't a Romulan credo. But don't worry, Bajorans understand
your people all too well."

Chapter Seven

One week later...

The Council of Five held a special tribunal. Starfleet's JAG Corps was not
invited and the defendants did not receive counsel. Nor would their sentences
ever be made public.

Jellico was the sole observer of the meeting. Akaar called the tribunal to
order, "Captain Ro Laren and Captain Brin Macen, you are here to receive
administrative justice for violating presidential orders and assisting a
fugitive from justice."

"What was P'ris accused of?" Macen wondered.

"You are out of order," Akaar snapped, "But if you want to
know, she was charged with treason."

"Against whom?" Macen had to ask, "She wasn't a Federation
citizen so she couldn't be charged with treason against this government only
espionage. But I think the charge is rather profound in that count. P'ris was
only accused of treason by the Romulan Star Empire. So are we now administrating
Romulan justice?"

"One more outburst and you will be tried in absentia, understood?"
Akaar threatened.

""How do you plead?" Nechayev interrupted.

"Not guilty on the basis that the orders were illegal in the first
place," Ro asserted, "Like Macen asked, are we police officers for the
Romulans now?"

"We are not here to discuss the purview of diplomats," Akaar
countered.

"I think we are," Macen rebutted him, "That's what this is all
about. We stood to make points with the Romulans if we gave them back one of
their own despite the fact that she did prevent us from going into a
manufactured war with the Gorn. A war manufactured by the Romulans themselves.
So why are seeking to reward them?"

Macen and Ro were taken to a side room. Ro looked concerned, "I know my
staff on DS9 is fine but what about your team? Weren't they detained as
well?"

"The ship's logs showed that the team knew next to nothing of my plans
and took no actions to impede Starfleet in their pursuit," Macen shared,
"And my crew isn't contractually obligated to Starfleet so their escaping
unscathed."

"Cenn is probably panicking over being in command," Ro chuckled.

"Shannon's probably gloating," Macen mused.

They avoided discussing the trial except to note that the tribunal had no
legal authority. But they consensually agreed that wouldn't matter. If things
played through Bacco's way they'd be buried in a hole so deep no one would err
find them.

Then the door slid opened and a Starfleet lieutenant stood in the opening,
"They're ready for you."

The hearing resumed as soon as Macen and Ro got to their seats. Akaar spoke
for the group, "Your defense is purely conjectural yet it also raises a
good many questions. Questions that need to be answered. However, this isn't a
forum to explore those questions. To be blunt, this is a forum to figure out
just what the hell to do with the two of you."

Akaar was warming into his topic, "You two have consistently broken the
chain of command throughout your careers, especially after your involvement with
the Maquis. This sole point needs to be addressed."

Akaar addressed Ro, "Captain Ro, your service after joining the Bajoran
Militia has been exemplary until now. But you have demonstrated that your skills
and temperament are suited for tasks other than commanding a starbase. Therefore
you are being removed as Commanding Officer of Deep Space Nine effective
immediately."

Ro accepted this news with grim stoicism as Akaar continued, "And your
insubordination regarding lawfully, if questionably, issued orders strikes at
the very heart of whether or not you can continue commanding a starship. It is
the consensus of this quorum that you are unable to. In order to spare you and
the service the embarrassment of a court martial you are being asked to tender
your resignation from Starfleet."

"Gladly," Ro threw back at him.

"Captain Macen, you are a civilian contractor with the Special
Investigations Division. Therefore are not being asked to resign but your status
as a contract is being revoked. No further SID contracts will be offered to you.
Am I understood?" Akaar put forth.

"Clearly," Macen evenly replied.

"Good," Akaar nodded, "Lieutenant, escort them to the waiting
room."

Macen and Ro waited for twenty minutes before the door opened and Admiral
Jellico entered in. Macen gave him a dubious look, "Come to gloat?"

"Actually I'm setting the story straight," Jellico said as he sat
down, "That little circus was for President Bacco's consumption."

"So it wasn't real?" Ro asked.

"Oh, it was real enough but it also doesn't carry any legal
weight," Jellico revealed, "We need the illusion to last long enough
for the pair of you to uncover just how far President Bacco's complicity with
the Typhon Pact in general and the Romulans in particular goes. It seems that
Section 31 was on to something after all."

"You want us to spy on a sitting Federation President?" Macen
sought clarification.

"Yes," Jellico replied, "And I want you to turn over any
evidence to the Attorney General."

"Do you know how many laws this is going to violate?" Ro needed to
know.

"Forty-three to be precise," Jellico readily replied, "Which
is why a serving Starfleet officer, or a current Starfleet employee, cannot be
the ones doing it."

Jellico sighed, "Ro, Macen, we're desperate. We had to contrive this
solution in order to satisfy Bacco's lust for revenge for making her look bad
before the Romulans."

"That motive alone says a lot," Macen commented.

"Doesn't it?" Jellico mused, "But our play acting also opened
up a door for you to resolve this situation."

"You're assuming we'll agree to this," Macen countered.

"You will," Jellico predicted, "Both of you have spent
lifetimes making the Federation or Bajor a better place to live. I'm trusting
you don't want to live in the Federation we're becoming if you can possibly help
it."

"Damn, you do know me after all;" Macen remarked.

"I was thinking the same thing," Ro admitted.

"Your ship is in orbit," Jellico told Macen. He turned to Ro,
"And for the sake of convenience I suggest you depart with him. Deep Space
Nine is expecting you so you can pick up your belongings."

"I travel light," Ro said.

Jellico stood, "Good luck. All our hopes go with you now."

He exited and Macen looked over at Ro, "Celeste is not going to believe
this one."